Such semiconductor devices or semiconductor modules implemented with such semiconductor devices are used for example, when high currents must be controlled, regulated or above all switched. In order to minimize switching losses in this case, fast-switching semiconductor devices such as IGBTs, MOSFETs or high-speed diodes are often used. The magnitude of the differential current change over time that occurs here can assume very large values. Since the voltage induced in a conductor is proportional to the product of its inductance and the change over time of the current flowing through it, the voltage induced in the conductor can assume large values.
Voltage peaks arise in practice that can load and sometimes even destroy the semiconductor devices.
Thus one usually tries to design such semiconductor devices so that such voltage peaks can be kept as low as possible.
A semiconductor arrangement having two connecting leads is known from EP 0 277 546 A1 in which a low inductance design is achieved by arranging the connecting leads close together and parallel to each other, at least in parts. The circuit arrangement is still not optimized, however, with regard to the configuration of a half-bridge used in practice.
Circuit arrangements as described in EP 0 277 546 A1 are often combined into half-bridge or full-bridge modules, for example, in order to drive high loads such as motors, inverters or the like.
Connecting together two or more of such semiconductor arrangements creates further parasitic inductances (stray inductances) that can also result in unwanted voltage peaks.